Prefixes

Prefixes

 

Prefix ber-

 

The prefix ber is added to :

-        a root verb

-        a noun

 

Prefix ber + a root noun

 

Examples:

 

If prefix added to a root noun, this will change it to a verb.

 

Noun

 

Verb

 

Sepeda

bicycle

bersepeda

to drive a bicycle

Siul

whistle

bersiul

to whistle

Jalan

street

berjalan

to take a walk

Sepatu

shoes

bersepatu

wear shoes

 

Note:

 

In most cases these formed verbs means refelexive. In other word there is no object added after these verbs. For example bersiul. You might think that bersepatu is a verb with an object. True! But the object, shoes, is included in the verb bersepatu.

 

Prefix ber + root verb

 

If prefix ber is added to a root verb, the verbs formed by prefix ber in most of cases are reflexive verbs.

 

Root verb

Formed verb

 

Bicara

berbicara

To talk

Henti

berhenti

To stop

Canda

bercanda

 

 

 

 

 

There are also some irregular ber- prefixes:

 

Examples:

 

Root verb

Formed verb

 

Ajar

belajar

To study

Kerja

bekerja

To work

 

 

Prefix  me-

 

The prefix me is a bit complicated! Just a bit. The root verb or noun needs to be transformed depending which consonants the verbs or nouns start.

 

In most cases these performed verbs have an object, in other words they are not reflexive verbs.

Root verbs beginning with consonants b,f,p,v

 


me + m + root verb/noun

 

 

Examples:

 

Root verb

Formed verb

 

buka

membuka

To open

fitnah

memfitnah

To slander

pukul

memukul

To hit

vonis

memvonis

 

 

Note:

 

- the consonant p in the formed verb disappears.

 

 

Root verbs beginning with consonants l, m, n, r, y, w

 

 


me + -- + root verb/noun

 

 

Examples:

 

Root verb

Formed verb

 

lihat

melihat

 

minta

meminta

 

nanti

menanti

 

rusak

merusak

 

yakin

meyakinkan

 

wasiat

mewasiatkan

 

 

Note:

 

- the affix kan in the formed verb meyakinkan doesn’t mean that every root verb beginning with y must have a suffix kan. More about suffix kan in the chapter circumfix me-…-kan.

 

Root verbs/nouns beginning with consonant c, d, j, t

 

 


me + n + root verb/noun

 

 

Examples:

 

Root verb

Formed verb

 

cuci

mencuci

To wash

dengar

mendengar

To listen

jual

menjual

To sell

tutup

menutup

To close

 

 

Root verbs/nouns beginning with consonant k, g, h and all vowels a, e, i, o, u

 


me + ng + root verb/noun

 

 

Examples:

 

Root verb

Formed verb

 

antar

mengantar

To accompany

ganti

mengganti

To change

hapus

menghapus

To erase

kunci

mengunci

To lock

 


 

 

Prefix  ter-

 

The prefix ter- is form a stative verb. In other words this verbs explain a state of something or of a person. These verbs also indicates the accidentally of the action.

Examples:

Root verb

 

Formed verbs

 

tidur

To sleep

tertidur

Asleep

buka

To open

terbuka

Be opened accidentaly

masuk

To go inside

termasuk

Be included

buang

To throw away

terbuang

Be thrown away accidentaly

 

 

Prefix di-

 

The prefix di- is commonly used to form a passive verb

Example:

Root verb

 

Formed verbs

 

Cinta

To love

dicinta

Be loved

Buka

To open

dibuka

Be opened

 

 

Prefix  se-

 

Prefix se- indicates the number “satu” , one,  before classifiers.

Examples:

Root verb

 

Formed verbs

 

Gelas

glass

Segelas susu

 

Ekor

tail

Seekor kucing

 

Orang

person

Seorang wanita